Surah Al Hadid ( الحديد (سورة Ayat 20 to 23

Surah Al Hadid ( الحديد (سورة Ayat 20 to 23 ٱع لم و ا أ ن ما ٱل حيو ة ٱلد ن يا لعب وله و وزينة وتفاخ ر بي نك م وتكاث ر فى ٱ ل م وٲل وٱ ل و ل د كمثل غي ث أ ع جب ٱل ك ف ار ( 20 Ayah نبات ه ۥ ث م يہيج فترٮ ه م ص فرا ث م يك ون ح ط م ا وفى ٱ ل خرة عذاب شديد ومغ فرة م ن ٱ لل ورض وٲن وما ٱل حيو ة ٱلد ن يا إ ل مت ع (Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual (ٱل غ ر ور boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children, (it is) as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment, and (there is) Forgiveness from Allâh and (His) Good Pleasure, And the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment.) When you know the inside and outside of a matter then you ll be balanced. So Allah (swt) is telling us about the duniya both from the outside and inside. Everyone sees the outside, but don t be deceived by it. The Prophet (ﷺ) was not afraid for his ummah to be poor but he was afraid that the duniya would be opened for them, and they would compete for it. Competition is not only in worldly matters but also in knowledge and deen. May Allah (swt) protect us. Ameen. And this happens when you re doing anything not for the sake of Allah (swt). ((it is) as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth): Allah (swt) is giving us (كمثل غي ث ( a tangible example of the duniya. It is like ( ث (غي which is beneficial rain that comes from the sky to the earth. When you have ( ث,(غي then for sure the land will flourish, it will be alive. Who will be amazed with this flourishing? (is pleasing to the tiller;): in the tafsir it says it is referring to the one who doesn t (أ ع جب ٱلك ف ار نبات ه ۥ) know Allah (swt) so he will be attracted to the duniya because he doesn t know the inside of the matter. When you look at the interpretation of the farmer, then he likes it when he sees his plants are flourishing. If we take the opposite, the believer is not impressed with the duniya because he knows the akhira is better. The believer uses the duniya but doesn t put it in his heart because it s like ( الحياة الدنيا (زهرة it s like a flower that will wither. Allah (swt) said the duniya is less than a mosquito wing, so inside your heart, attach to Allah (swt) not to the duniya. People get depressed because of putting the duniya inside their heart and then that duniya is taken away from them, and this can be anything, be it people, money, house, etc. (afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it (ث م يہيج فترٮ ه م ص فرا ث م يك ون ح ط ما ) becomes straw.): then the plant will become dry and yellow. So from green it goes to being yellow. When you have a fresh flower, everyone admires it, but when it becomes dry and dead, no one wants to look at it, they ll say throw it out. Everything in this duniya reaches its peak and then it ), ح ط م ا) falls. Similar to ourselves, we reach our peak and then become old and weak. Then it will be it will be broken. Allah (swt) is telling us the reality of the duniya so that we re not attached to it, it will be very difficult if we get attached to something that will break, subhan Allah. This is the reality of the duniya which people don t want to believe because it s disturbing thought they see it in front of them, subhan Allah. Any excitement of the duniya is temporary. When you re hungry, you eat and enjoy and when you re full, you can t stand to look at food, subhan Allah. Page 1

(But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment, and (وفى ٱ لخرة عذاب شديد ومغفرة م ن ٱ لل ورض وٲن ) (there is) Forgiveness from Allâh and (His) Good Pleasure): when you re feeling miserable, it s because of the attachment to the duniya. The one whose concern is the duniya will always feel poor even if he has everything and the people will turn away from him. And the one whose concern is the hereafter, he will feel rich even if he doesn t have anything, and people will gather around him, and the duniya will come to him. Don t give your inner to something worthless. In the hereafter, there is a severe punishment for those whose concern was just the duniya, imagine their life revolved around the duniya and then their life ends while they didn t do anything worthwhile. And there is forgiveness and pleasure of Allah (swt) in the hereafter for those who know the reality وعن أبي العباس سهل بن سعد الساعدى رضي هللا عنه قال: ( Hadith: of the duniya and work for the hereafter. جاء رجل إلى النبي صلى هللا عليه وسلم فقال: يا رسول هللا دلني على عمل إذا عملته أحبني هللا واحبني الناس فقال: ازهد في him) (Sahl bin Sa'd As-Sa'idi (May Allah be pleased with ( الدنيا يحبك هللا وازهد فيما عند الناس يحبك الناس reported: A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, guide me to such an action which, if I do Allah will love me and the people will also love me." He (ﷺ) said, "Have no desire for this world, Allah will love you; and have no desire for what people possess, and the people will love you.") Ibn Majah Book 1, Hadith 472 When you don t want anything from the people, then you will love you, but the moment you expect and want from the people, then they turn away, Allah (swt) changes the hearts, subhan Allah. This ayah is telling us clearly and sharply, like hadid, how to be balanced. Imbalance happens when we don t know the reality of the duniya. You can even recognize someone who is balanced or imbalanced those who are balanced are calm, happy, they don t complain, their emotions are balanced, they are neither over-excited or overly sad. May Allah (swt) make us balanced. Ameen. It doesn t mean you don t use the duniya, you use it from the outside but don t put it inside duniya is for external use only. (And the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment.): the duniya is (وما ٱل حيو ة ٱلد ن يا إ ل مت ع ٱل غ ر ور ( deceiving, so don t get (ٱل غ ر ور ( also which is something you use and benefit from, but it s (مت ع ( attached to it. Who will be deceived by it? Those with weak minds. ( غ ر ور (ٱل also means imbalance because you see something bigger than what it really is. We see the duniya as big, we magnify it, but Allah (swt) is telling us it s duniya which means something low, subhan Allah. سابق و ا إ ل ى مغفرة م ن ر ب ك م وجن ة عر ض ہا كعر ض ٱلس ما ء وٱ ل ر ض أ عد ت لل ذين ءامن وا بٱ لل ور س لهۦ ذٲلك ( 21 Ayah (Race with one another in hastening towards ) فض ل ٱ لل ي ؤ تيه من يشا ء وٱ لل ذ و ٱل فض ل ٱلعظيم forgiveness from your Lord (Allâh), and Paradise the width whereof is as the width of the heaven and the earth, prepared for those who believe in Allâh and His Messengers. That is the Grace of Allâh which He bestows on whom He is pleased with. And Allâh is the Owner of Great Bounty) is to race, hasten to the good deeds. Don t be (سابق و ا ( hastening): (Race with one another in (سابق و ا ( deceived with the duniya because it makes you lazy to good deeds, it makes you inactive, the duniya takes up your energy. (towards forgiveness from your Lord (Allâh), and (إ لى مغ فرة م ن ر ب ك م وجن ة عر ض ہا كعر ض ٱلس ما ء وٱ ل ر ض ( Paradise the width whereof is as the width of the heaven and the earth,): race towards forgiveness Page 2

from your Rabb, your Nurturer because you can t be nurtured without forgiveness, and a paradise as wide as the heaven and earth. So run to something big, not to something small like the duniya. How can you run to forgiveness? o Repentance from sins, o Seek forgiveness there are different dua as for istighfar o To fast Ramadan with faith and ihtisab, to establish the nights in Ramadan with faith and ihtisab, and to establish the Night of Decree with faith and ihtisab o Whoever makes a very good wudhu and prays two units not thinking about anything و ح د ث ن ي أ ب و ب ك ر و ص د ق أ ب و ب ك ر - رضى هللا عنه - أ ن ه ق ا ل س مع ت ر س و ل هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم ي ق و ل ( Hadith: " م ا م ن ع ب د ي ذ ن ب ذ ن ب ا ف ي ح س ن الط ه و ر ث م ي ق و م ف ي ص ل ي ر ك ع ت ي ن ث م ي س ت غ ف ر هللا إ ل غ ف ر هللا ل ه ". ث م ق ر أ ه ذ ه اآلي ة { (AbuBakr narrated to me a (. و ال ذ ين إ ذ ا ف ع ل وا ف اح ش ة أ و ظ ل م وا أ ن ف س ه م ذ ك ر وا هللا } إ ل ى آخ ر اآلي ة (ﷺ) tradition, and AbuBakr narrated truthfully. He said: I heard the apostle of Allah saying: When a servant (of Allah) commits a sin, and he performs ablution well, and then stands and prays two rak'ahs, and asks pardon of Allah, Allah pardons him. He then recited this verse: "And those who, when they commit indecency or wrong their souls, remember Allah" (Al-Qur'an 3:135).) - Sunan Abi Dawud 1521,Graded Sahih by Al Albani أشهد أن ل إله إل هللا وحده ل شريك له وأن محمد ا عبده ورسوله رضيت ( adhan o Who says after the وعن سعد بن أبي وقاص رضي هللا عنه عن النبي صلى هللا عليه ( Hadith:.(باهلل رب ا وباإلسالم دين ا غفر له ذنبه وسلم أنه قال: "من قال حين يسمع المؤذن: أشهد أن ل إله إل هللا وحده ل شريك له وأن محمد ا عبده ورسوله (Sa'd bin Abu Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with ("رضيت باهلل رب ا وباإلسالم دين ا غفر له ذنبه him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who says after the Adhan: 'Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah Wah-dahu la sharika Lahu; wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa Rasuluhu, radhitu Billahi Rabban, wa bi Muhammadin Rasulan, wa bil Islami Dinan [I testify that there is no true god except Allah Alone; He has no partners and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger; I am content with Allah as my Rubb, with Muhammad as my Messenger and with Islam as my Deen],' his sins will be forgiven.") Muslim Book 9, Hadith 1040 o Praying in congregation, and you say ameen at the same time as the imam and angels ع ن أ ب ي ه ر ي ر ة ق ا ل ق ا ل ر س و ل هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم " إ ذ ا أ م ن ال ق ار ئ ف أ م ن وا ف إ ن ( Hadith: say ameen. (It was narrated that Abu (. ال م ال ئ ك ة ت ؤ م ن ف م ن و اف ق ت أ م ين ه ت أ م ي ن ال م ال ئ ك ة غ ف ر هللا ل ه م ا ت ق د م م ن ذ ن ب ه " Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'When the reciter says Amin, then say: "Amin" too, for the angels say Amin and if a person's Amin coincides with the Amin of the angels, Allah will forgive his previous sins") - Sunan an-nasa'i 925 o To sit in a study circle and leave with your sins forgiven o To say ( (سبحان هللا و بحمده 100 times o Prayer to prayer is an expiation of sins, Ramadan to Ramadan is expiation of sins, umrah to umrah is expiation of sins, Friday to Friday is expiation of sins ل اله ال هللا وحده ل ( then 33 times and (هللا أكبر ( times, 33 (الحمد هلل ( times, 33 (سبحان هللا ( say o To prayer. after each (شريك له له الملك و له الحمد و هو على كل شيء قدير o Sickness is expiation of the sins. o Touching the Black Stone and Yamani Corner are forgiveness of sins Page 3

We have many opportunities for forgiveness and when you race to it, your life will be easier. And to race towards paradise means to do good deeds. You have so many opportunities to do good deeds. Nawafil prayers, morning/evening supplications, reciting Quran, good character, giving water, feeding people, giving charity, give people way in the road, a smile, feeding the animals, etc. This paradise is prepared for whom? (prepared for those who believe in Allâh and (أ عد ت لل ذين ءامن وا بٱ لل ور س لهۦ ذٲلك فض ل ٱ لل ي ؤ تيه من يشا ء ) His Messengers. That is the Grace of Allâh which He bestows on whom He is pleased with.): for those who believe in Allah (swt) and all of the messengers, and they follow the Sunnah of the Prophet.(ﷺ) This is the favor of Allah (swt), which is to give us opportunities for forgiveness and good deeds, and it is a favor from Allah (swt) to whomever performs these deeds. Allah (swt) knows who deserves these favors. May Allah (swt) favor us. Ameen. ذ و ٱل فض ل ٱلعظيم ( (And Allâh is the Owner of Great Bounty): you need to remember it s all a favor (وٱ لل from Allah (swt) and guidance from Him so don t be proud of your good deeds because that is imbalance. (ما أصاب من م صيبة فى ٱ ل ر ض و ل ف ى أنف سك م إ ل فى ڪت ب م ن قب ل أن ذٲلك على ٱ لل يسير ( 22 Ayah ن ب رأ ها إ ن (No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al- Lauh Al-Mahfûz), before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allâh) Ayat 22 to 24 are to believe in the decree. What is the relation between the duniya and decree? Our reaction to the decree can make us balanced or imbalanced. When you believe in the decree, then it makes you balanced. When you believe in the decree of Allah (swt) and His decree is perfect, then it gives you balanced emotions. The decree is the power of Allah (swt) He makes what He wants happen and not what you want because He is Al Aziz Al Hakeem. He is Almighty and All-Wise when He decrees, unlike us. yourselves): (No calamity befalls on the earth or in (ما أ صاب من م صيبة فى ٱ ل ر ض و ل فى أ نف سك م ( anything that befalls you from good or evil, and ( (م صيبة means anything that strikes you, it came to you, so you can t avoid it. It either befalls on the earth or inside yourself. All calamities fall on the earth, not the heavens, and earth can be land or sea. The heavens are the place of commands and good deeds it s all pure, nothing bad will happen. What are examples of ( (م صيبة on the earth? Drought, floods, wars, stealing, volcano, earthquake, fighting, etc. The inhabitants of the heavens are all pure, it s all angels, and if the devils are trying to listen, then a shooting star goes at them. Surah Ar Room :41 ( ظ ه ر ٱلف س ا د ف ى ٱلب ر و ٱل ب ح ر ب م ا ك س ب ت أ ي د ى ٱلن ا س ل ي ذ يق ه م ب ع ض ٱل ذ ى ع م ل و ا ل ع ل ه م ي ر ج ع و ن ) (Evil (sins and disobedience to Allâh) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds), that He (Allâh) may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allâh, and begging His Pardon).) Sins destroy the environment, so if you want to protect it, don t sin. And sins affect others, for example, if a child is sinning in the house, then it affects the parents as well. Any ( (م صيبة in your nafs can be sickness, loss of beloved ones, loss of money, etc. Sheikh As Saady said even any goodness, whether wealth, good health, etc. Page 4

(but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz), before We (إ ل فى ڪت ب م ن قب ل أن ن ب رأها ( bring it into existence.): Any good or bad that befalls us is all written. When we know this then it makes us balanced, it s not you. So don t be happy or sad because it s all written in a Book (Preserved Tablet) before everything else existed, meaning before the earth, people, and the calamity itself existed. If someone praises you, it s imbalanced when you feel happy about yourself because the next time she doesn t praise you, you will feel sad. If someone talks badly about you, you will be imbalanced when you shout, cry, etc, but you ll be balanced when you know it s decreed. created. pure, the earth and ourselves were pure when first (بارئ) ) comes from ن ب رأها ( (Verily, that is easy for Allâh): everything that is happening now is exactly (إ ن ذٲلك على ٱ لل يسير ( what s happening in the Preserved Tablet. Anything that Allah (swt) wants He can make it happen, it is all easy for Allah (swt), it s just be and it is. Allah (swt) is able to do all things. تأ سو ا عل ى ما فاتك م و ل تفرح وا بما ءاتٮ ڪ م وٱ لل ل ي ح ب ك ل م ختال فخ ور ( 23 Ayah (In order that you (ل كي ل may not grieve at the things that you fail to get, nor rejoice over that which has been given to you. And Allâh likes not prideful boasters) (In order that you may not grieve at the things that you fail to get,): this ayah (ل كي ل تأ سو ا على ما فاتك م ( is telling us how to be emotionally balanced. Don t be sad or despair when something misses you, even when you miss a traffic light, all of this is nurturing for us. You missed a call, missed a person, missed a sale, etc anything that you miss, it s important to feel balanced. Anything that misses you, then you say ( هللا ما شاء (قدر not if only because this opens the door to the shaitan. (nor rejoice over that which has been given to you.): rejoicing while attributing (و ل تفرح وا بما ءاتٮ ڪ م ( it to yourself is a dispraised happiness. When you get something, a job, house, promotion, etc don t rejoice with yourself, don t have this feeling of sufficiency that you got it from your intellect, mind, background, etc it s all decreed by Allah. Anything that you don t get, then you need to be patient, and anything that you get, then you need to be grateful. So your life is busy between being وعن أبي يحيى صهيب بن سنان رضي هللا عنه قال: قال رسول هللا ( Hadith: patient and grateful, this is balance. صلى هللا عليه وسلم "عجبا ألمر المؤمن إن أمره كله له خير وليس ذلك ألحد إل للمؤمن : إن أصابته سراء شكر فكان خيرا له him) (Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (May Allah be pleased with (وإن أصابته ضراء صبر فكان خيرا له " reported that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him".) Muslim Book 1, Hadith 27 So in any situation, you either need to be patient or grateful. ل ي حب ك ل م ختال فخ ور ( (And Allâh likes not prideful boasters): Allah (swt) doesn t like every (وٱ لل which is boasting with your (فخ ور ( and which is boasting with your actions/body language (م ختال ( tongue, ie: I did this, etc. Allah (swt) has given him the blessing and he s boasting about it, subhan Allah. May Allah (swt) make us balanced. Ameen. Page 5